there is a missile gap in the united states. the problem was that kennedy in the campaign, they said that we need hugely increased defense in order to make up for it and he was committed to that. the result was in 1961 at that time, the largest defense bill in human history, and it was to a great extent that it made -- needless to say, the missiles could have caused a lot of destruction. >> host: wended nikita khrushchev come on the scene? >> guest: it did take some people to the blog, but not nikita khrushchev. there were two leaders who were essentially a joint leadership. by 19541956, khrushchev was a supreme leader. >> host: what policy changes came with his ascension? >> guest: khrushchev would've been shocking to anyone in the west. but khrushchev actually realized that stalin had gone way overboard. a number of people have been killed under stalin. despite all the claims, the soviet union was way behind economically and with defense. the result was khrushchev wanted to change it because something called the secret speech.